What is this technology?

[Rocka70]

https://www.amazon.com/Kudo-Banz-Pa...566931910&s=gateway&sprefix=kudo+banz+&sr=8-2
Hello. What is the technology that 2 of the pandas are holding? The app related to the things only works with those 2. How small can it be and still be identified. Thanks in advance.

 

[mikedt]

They communicate and are identified by an app on a smart-phone, is that what they do? They use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) or NFC possibly.

 

[mikedt]

I've never seen Kudo Banz before, be it looks interesting from a technology POV.

Scanning with a smart-phone, I very much suspect it uses Bluetooth(BLE), or possibly NFC, however not all phones have NFC.

 

[Rocka70]

With the app open you must bring the charm in front of the phone's camera in order for it to work. Could that still be either BLE or NFC? As neither should require the object to be in front of the camera.

 

[Rocka70]

I was thinking that it had to do with the image that 2 or the cartoon characters are holding as only those 2 can make it work. It looks similar to a round bar code.

 

[mikedt]

With the app open you must bring the charm in front of the phone's camera in order for it to work. Could that still be either BLE or NFC? As neither should require the object to be in front of the camera.

That sounds like it's using image recognition then, rather than wireless, and these panda tokens are completely passive.

From what I've read about this, you first need to purchase a "starter kit", which has wrist bands for the system and app to work. And these panda token things are optional extra, but can't be used without the wrist band.

Have you actually bought the starter kit?

I've never seen anything like this before, but it's for training toddlers isn't it, things like potty training?

 

[mikedt]

I was thinking that it had to do with the image that 2 or the cartoon characters are holding as only those 2 can make it work. It looks similar to a round bar code.

The Amazon descriptions says "6 Kudos (2 are magical!)", presumably the 2 "magical" ones have the round bar codes that are scanned with the app. What that does exactly, maybe an extra reward for the child, sort of Achievement Unlocked type things?

 

[Rocka70]

I haven't bought it no. I'm not interested in the product, only the technology it uses. Seeing this product on shark tank gave me an idea but I need to know the technology they use. The normal charms are a simple reward with no effect from the app but the magical ones give a celebration reward when they are held in front of the phone and recognized by the app. If it is a bar code then it makes sence why the other charms cannot trigger the app but if it using something like tensorflow for recognition then why the trouble of creating "magical" charms when tensorflow should be able to detect all 6 without the use of the barcode looking thing?

 

[Rocka70]

I am verry interested in knowing what makes it work as it may be used with my idea. Can a barcode be made this way? Is the app simply a barcode reader?

 

[MoodyBlues]

it's for training toddlers isn't it, things like potty training?

And to think, humans and other animals have been potty trained for millennia without this!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Seeing this product on shark tank

I don't remember this at all. I must have zoned out once I realized it was a kids' product...but to have no memory of it at all worries me...especially since it's tech-based... *senile*

 

[Davdi]

It's just one more thing for parents to waste / spend their money on </cynic>